[suspension member for speaker]

ABSTRACT

An elastically deformable suspension member for speaker is disclosed to have an inner diameter portion for mounting of a cone, an outer diameter portion spaced around the inner diameter portion at a predetermined pitch for fastening to a basket, and three or more arched surface portions formed in the predetermined pitch and extending one within another around the inner diameter portion and connected between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion for enabling the suspension member to give a sufficient support to the connected cone to prevent distortion during working of the speaker.

This application is a Continuation-In-Part of my patent application, Ser. No. 10/906,940, filed on Mar. 14, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a speaker and more particularly, to a suspension member for speaker, which uses multiple transversely arched annular surface portions to give a sufficient support to the cone, presenting distortion of sound.

2. Description of the Related Art

A speaker is a converter means that converts electric signal into sound signal for output. Many electronic devices such as broadcasting system, stereo system, TV, computer, multimedia system, etc., commonly use speakers for output of sound. A speaker has a voice coil mounted within a magnet. When the voice coil is electrically connected to produce a magnetic induction, the voice coil is causes to move forwards and backwards along an axis when an electric current is connected thereto, thereby producing a sound wave at a predetermined frequency. Different speakers use different voice coils to produce sound waves at different frequencies. Follow fast development of technology and change of living style, people are critical to the requirement of the sound quality of a speaker. In addition to the requirement of increasing sound, sound quality is an important factor must be taken into account when selecting a speaker.

A speaker includes some parts, i.e., an outer basket, a suspension member, a cone and an inner exciter. Every part has a great concern with the performance of the speaker. FIGS. 7, 8 and 8A show the outer appearance of a suspension member and a speaker. As illustrated, the speaker comprises a basket A, an exciter B mounted in a center area within a holding space A1 of the basket A, a cone C suspending around the exciter B, and a suspension member D fastened to a rim of the basket A and connected to a periphery of the cone C to hold the cone C around the exciter B. During working of the exciter B, the cone C is moved up and down to produce sound. The maximum amount of displacement of the cone C is the stroke of the speaker. The suspension member D is designed to give a support power to the cone C. The suspension member D is made of an elastic material, having a curved surface portion D1 to fit the motion of the cone C.

However, because the suspension member D has one single curved surface portion D1 extending around the border area, the supporting power of the suspension member D to the cone C is limited. If the stroke of the speaker surpassed the supporting power provided by the suspension member D to the cone C, a distortion of sound will occur. In this case, the user cannot enjoy a high quality of sound. If to extend the size of the curved surface portion D1, the supporting power will be relatively reduced, and the stroke of the cone C will be relatively increased, resulting in distortion of sound. Further, changing the size of the curved surface portion D1 of the suspension member D must relatively change the structure of the basket A and the cone C, thereby increasing the manufacturing cost.

A loudspeaker system of the prior art is disclosed in which the transducer comprises a chassis, a diaphragm located within the chassis, an electromagnetic actuator, which has a first actuator part connected to the back part of the diaphragm and a second actuator part connected to the chassis to cooperate with the first actuator part via an air gap, a telescoping arrangement coupled between the chassis and the diaphragm, and suspension means for flexibly suspending the diaphragm from the chassis via the telescoping arrangement. This design greatly increases the area of the suspension, thereby lowering the supporting power to support the cone and relatively increasing the stroke of the cone. In order to fit the extended size of the suspension, the basket and the cone must be specially designed.

A transducer suspension of the prior art is disclosed. According to this design, the suspension member is comprised of a dense non-cellular silicone rubber material such that the suspension member operates reliably over an extremely wide temperature range, having an outer edge portion attached to the main body of the transducer, an inner edge portion attached to a diaphragm, and a resilient region extending between the outer and inner edge portion. According to this design, the resilient region is insufficient to support the movement of the cone, and a distortion of sound may be produced during the operation of the speaker system.

A suspension design of the prior art is disclosed. According to this design, the suspension member is a resilient member having multiple curved surface portions. Because the suspension member is formed integral with the cone, the suspension member will oscillate with the cone during the operation of the speaker system, thereby affecting the sound quality of the cone. Further, the stroke of the cone gives an impact to the suspension member, causing the suspension member unable to effectively support the motion of the cone.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a suspension member that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to the present invention, the suspension member comprises an inner diameter portion, and outer diameter portion, and at least three annular surface portions arched in transverse direction and extending one within another around the inner diameter portion and connected between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion. The number of the annular surface portions is determined subject to the design of the speaker. The annular surface portions enable the suspension member to give a sufficient support power to a cone, eliminating the possibility that the stroke of the cone surpasses the supporting power of the suspension member, and preventing distortion of sound.

When changing the number of the annular surface portions, the pitch between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion remains unchanged to fit the cone. Therefore, different suspension members can be made having the same pitch between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion and having different designs of annular surface portions between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion for use with the same specification of the cone to fit different speaker requirements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a suspension member and a cone for speaker according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational assembly view in an enlarged scale of the suspension member and the cone shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the installation of the suspension member with the cone in a speaker according to the present invention (I).

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the installation of the suspension member with the cone in a speaker according to the present invention (II).

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6A corresponds to FIG. 5, showing the suspension member in action (I).

FIG. 6B corresponds to FIG. 5, showing the suspension member in action (II).

FIG. 7 is an elevational assembly view of a suspension member and a cone according to the prior art.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a speaker constructed according to the prior art.

FIG. 8A is an enlarged view of part D of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a suspension member 1 in accordance with the present invention is a hollow elastic member, having an inner diameter portion 11, an outer diameter portion 12 extending around the inner diameter portion 11, a plurality of peripheral locating notches 121 equiangularly formed in the outer diameter portion 12, and a plurality of, for example, three annular surface portions 13 that are smoothly arched in transverse direction and arranged one within another around the inner diameter portion 11 and connected between the inner diameter portion 11 and the outer diameter portion 12. The combined width of the annular surface portions 13, i.e., the pitch between the inner diameter portion 11 and the outer diameter portion 12 is predetermined subject to the design of the speaker. The annular surface portions 13 have one arranged on the middle and the other symmetrically arranged at two sides relative to the one on the middle.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 and FIG. 2 again, a cone 2 is bonded to the inner diameter portions 11 of the suspension member 1 and then put with the suspension member 1 in a basket 3 for enabling an exciter 4 to pass through a center through hole 21 of the cone 2 and the outer diameter portion 12 of the suspension member 1 to be attached to the surface of the basket 3, and then a locating ring 5 is attached to the outer diameter portion 12 of the suspension member 1 to force the bottom flanges 51 of the locating ring 5 into engagement with the locating notches 121, thereby holding down the suspension member 1 in the basket 3.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 6A and 6B and FIG. 4 again, during working of the exciter 4, the cone 2 is continuously moved up and down to produce sound, and the maximum amount of displacement of the cone 2 is the stroke of the speaker. At this time, the elastically deformable material property of the suspension member 1 gives a sufficient support to the cone 2. Because the pitch between the inner diameter portion 11 and the outer diameter portion 12 is constant and because there are three annular surface portions 13 connected between the inner diameter portion 11 and the outer diameter portion 12 without changing the designed pitch between the inner diameter portion 11 and the outer diameter portion 12. Therefore, the suspension member 1 is freely deformable to compensate the oscillation motion of the cone 2 during working of the exciter 4 while giving a sufficient support to the cone 2, preventing distortion.

Further, the number of the annular surface portions 13 can be changed subject to the requirements of the speaker (for example, width of sound range, range of output power, etc.) so that the speaker can provide a comparatively better sound quality. When changing the number of the annular surface portions 13, the curvature and arrangement of the annular surface portions 13 can be relatively changed, maintaining the same combined width to fit the cone 2.

Further, the suspension member 1 is made of elastic material, for example, polyurethane.

As indicated above, the present invention provides a suspension member for speaker, which has multiple annular surface portions connected between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion and respectively extending one within another around the inner diameter portion to provide a strong support to the cone, preventing distortion. The number of the annular surface portions may be changed. However, when changing the number of the annular surface portions, the pitch between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion remains unchanged to fit the cone. Therefore, different suspension members can be made having the same pitch between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion and having different designs of annular surface portions between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion for use with the same specification of cone to fit different speaker requirements.

A prototype of suspension member for speaker has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 1˜6. The suspension member for speaker functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

1. A suspension member having a hollow elastic body, said hollow elastic body comprising an inner diameter portion for the mounting of a cone, an outer diameter portion spaced around said inner diameter portion at a predetermined pitch for fastening to a basket, and at least three annular surface portions formed in said predetermined pitch between said inner diameter portion and said outer diameter portion and smoothly arched in transverse direction and extending one within another around said inner diameter portion and connected between said inner diameter portion and said outer diameter portion.
 2. The suspension member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said annular surface portions include a first annular surface portion and a plurality of second annular surface portions symmetrically disposed at two sides of said first annular surface portion and respectively connected between said inner diameter portion and said first annular surface portion and between said outer diameter portion and said first annular surface portion.
 3. The suspension member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer diameter portion has a plurality of equiangularly spaced peripheral notches for mounting the engagement of bottom flanges of a locating ring.
 4. The suspension member as claimed in claim 1, which is made of polyurethane. 